


Crazy Rich Parisians

by Snugglebuttkitten



Category: Crazy Rich Asians (2018), Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Grew Up in America With His Mother, Aged-Up Character(s), Angst, Comedy, Crazy rich asian au, Drama, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Heiress!Marinette, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Marinette Comes From A Wealthy Family, Minor Sexual Content (Non Explicit), Professor!Adrien
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-04
Updated: 2019-09-04
Packaged: 2020-10-09 05:37:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20515484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snugglebuttkitten/pseuds/Snugglebuttkitten
Summary: Ten Years ago Marinette Dupain-Cheng traded in her glamorous life as an heiress, her dream job, and her chance at fame and fortune to lead a much simpler life in America. There, she landed a decent job, got her own place, and eventually met the man of her dreams. But when her childhood best friend announces she's getting married, Marinette knows she cannot avoid returning home forever. And fortunately, or perhaps, unfortunately, her boyfriend is more than eager to accompany her and finally meet her elusive family.When Adrien Fu was 4 years old, his mother kidnapped him during a very intense custody battle and secreted him away to America. Adrien's grown up with the belief that his mother did it for his own protection and has never sought out his father in the 25 years arriving in America. However, when his girlfriend of three years announces a need return home to Paris, Adrien figures out he can kill two birds with one stone. Finally meet the elusive Dupain-Cheng clan and secure her father's blessing for her hand, and finally confront his father and bury his demons once and for all. He has no idea just what he's getting himself into when he boards the plane to France.





	Crazy Rich Parisians

**Author's Note:**

> So I originally wanted to start working on this over a year ago for AU August, but I had so many other stories going (which I will be rewriting and finishing over the next year or so, once I get up the muse) that I just couldn't bring myself to start it. However, while rewatching the movie I was struck with a powerful surge of muse and so I decided to whip this up for your reading pleasure. It also gave me a great opportunity to get back into writing after my recent Carpal Tunnel scare! Hope you enjoy ;p

**Adrien: ** ** _25 Years Ago_ **

The crash of Thunder was what startled the young boy awake, but it was the shadowy figure looming over him in the darkness that had his mouth stretching wide to scream. Not a sound left his throat before a hand clasped gently over his mouth and his terrified green eyes were met with a gentle gaze almost identical in color to his own. Adrien Agreste blinked rapidly to adjust his eyes to the darkness, and slowly began to make out his mother’s pale features in the gloomy, cavernous bedroom where he had spent the majority of his four short years of life. Heart rate slowly settling down, the little boy sat up and threw his arms around his mother’s neck, burying his face into her throat and shuddering with relief. Her usual distinct smell of cocoa butter and cinnamon wreathed around him and made every muscle in his small body relax with relief.

“ _ Maman _ , you scared me,” he murmured, leaning back to blink up at her in concern. “I missed you,  _ Maman. _ Why did you have to go away? When are you coming back?” The child’s voice was steadily rising, tears of confusion springing to his eyes. Ever since his mother had packed her bags and left after another of his parents heated arguments, he had only seen her a handful of times and never up close. Normally, he only saw her when his father made him get all dressed up and go into the big, boring room where one man sat above them all in a big black gown and with a big wooden hammer. His father called that man the judge, and he had told Adrien that he was the man who would eventually ensure that Adrien’s  _ Maman _ could never steal Adrien away from him. Adrien immediately disliked the big man with the loud wooden hammer because he apparently wanted to take him away from his  _ Maman _ and Adrien definitely didn’t want that.

On those days, his mother wore beautiful dresses like she used to, back when the boy was smaller. He remembered those days, vaguely, when his  _ Maman _ dressed up often and his  _ Papa  _ came home from work long before Adrien was sent off to bed. Back in those days, they had dinner and played as a family, and he remembered that his parents were often laughing and hugging and kissing each other and they were happy. All three of them, so blissfully happy and so far from what they had become now. The fighting started gradually, so scarce in the beginning that Adrien almost never noticed. Then it got worse, until it seemed all his parents  _ did _ was argue and fight and throw things at one another. Until his mother stopped dressing up and his father started coming home later and later and later, sometimes not even returning home until the first rays of sunlight had broken over the horizon and the fighting would start all over again. It got to the point where Adrien spent much of his time hidden in the small crawl space that sat in the very back of his massive closet, the place his parents had drilled into him time and time again that if he was ever unsafe, he should go hide in there and not come out until one of his parents came and got him.

Most days, Adrien would spend hours and hours in that little crawl space, sometimes even falling asleep in there when the arguing reached its peak. He was pretty sure that this wasn’t what his parents meant by unsafe since they had also mentioned the bad people a lot and Adrien’s parents weren’t the bad people, as far as he knew. But being in that tight little hole, with his Jagged Stone Nightlight, his toys, and his storybooks, he felt safer than he had felt in a really long time. Then, one day, his mother found him in there. When he quietly explained why he was in there, she had looked utterly crushed. The next day, her bags were packed and she was gone. Adrien had thought he had done something wrong and that she didn’t want him anymore, but here she was. She was back, and they would be a family again, and maybe his parents would finally stop fighting and things could go back to when they were all happy together.

“Shhh,  _ mon petit Cheri _ , I’m here,” Emilie Agreste cooed, embracing her son tightly for a few moments before setting him back at arms length. Despite the tears beading the corners of her eyes, her expression was serious and filled with something that Adrien couldn’t quite figure out. “I’m sorry for leaving, Adrien. But I’m back and I  _ promise _ , I will never leave you again,” she whispered fiercely.

“You promise?” The little boy whispered hopefully. Emilie nodded and smiled warmly before her smile faded and she once again looked serious.

“Why don’t we play a little game, Adrien?” She suggested. Curiously, the boy nodded obediently. He was uncertain what game his mother could possibly want to play, but he was eager to find out and hopefully, make her happy so that she would never leave him again. “I want you to take your backpack and pack a few sets of clothes and your favorite toy, okay? Buy you have to be  _ very _ quiet, Adrien. We don’t want to wake  _ Papa _ ,” his mother explained, trailing her fingers gently over his cheek. Adrien was confused but he nodded and slid from the bed, grabbing the backpack that hung on the low hooks near his bedroom door. He did as his mother asked, packing a few shirts, pairs of jeans, underwear, and his favorite toy, a teddy bear that his mother had given him as a child. He shoved his Jagged Stone Nightlight into the bag as well. When he returned, his mother was waiting for him with his toothbrush and toothpaste, coat and sneakers.

Adrien was surprised she didn’t make him change from his pajamas but didn’t question her as he put on his socks, shoes, and coat. When he was done, there was a quiet knock on the door and it creaked open, the boy recognized the shaggy black hair and acid green eyes of the chef’s son, Plagg. Plagg was fourteen and never interested in playing, but he was kind to Adrien and looked out for him from time to time. Still, Adrien was surprised to find him here so late. He occasionally helped out with odd jobs around the house, but never this late at night. His mother, however, seemed completely unsurprised at the young man’s appearance and smiled in relief upon seeing him.

“Plagg, is the coast clear?” She asked quietly, hand tightening around Adrien’s hand. Adrien squeezed back and watched as the older boy nodded jerkily, glancing over his shoulder before returning his gaze to the pair of blondes in the dark room. He seemed nervous. Both of them did, Adrien realized with a start as he looked between his mother and Plagg. Still, Adrien chose not to say anything. His  _ Maman _ hadn’t told him he could stop being quiet yet and he didn’t want to break the rules of this strange game his mother wished to play. Without another word, Emilie tugged Adrien forward and together they followed Plagg out into the dimly lit hall. The Agreste Mansion was a sprawling, three-story building that boasted more than 8000 square feet. Its revolutionary architecture that mixed the old with the new had made it a feature in several magazines but all Adrien felt wandering these halls was oppressed. Despite the size of the mansion, it was one of the loneliest places Adrien had ever been, especially when his mother had left.

Most of the staff went about their business, never paying attention to the quiet and lonely boy sitting in his room with only his toys and books for company. Only his tutors spoke to them, and they were all business. Now, the mansion seemed even more lonely than usual. It seemed the only ones in the sprawling house was him, his mother, and Plagg. Nathalie, his nanny, and his father’s assistant was probably lurking around somewhere as well but they didn’t run into her as they made their way down the hall and crept down the stairs to the main foyer. By the large oak doors, Plagg and Emilie came to a halt and turned to face one another. Adrien looked between them, wide-eyed and silent. It was Emilie who spoke first.

“I can’t begin to thank you enough, Plagg,” she said, reaching out with her free hand to touch the younger man’s face gently. There was a sort of maternal warmth in her eyes that Adrien had only ever seen when she looked at him, her own son, and he began to feel the first spark of jealousy when Plagg turned to face him.

“Thanks, Madame Agreste. But I did it all for the kid. He deserves better, you know?” He said, smiling as he crouched down and offered his fist to the younger boy. “You take care, little man. Maybe we’ll see each other again someday,” he said, as Adrien shyly bumped his fist against Plagg’s. 

“Okay, it’s time to go, Adrien. And you, Plagg. You should get home before anyone finds out you’re here,” Emilie said, tugging on Adrien’s hand. Plagg nodded and pulled the heavy oak door open, allowing the pair of blondes to slip out into the chilly night air. Sitting in the circular drive, a limo sat idling and Emlile quickly ushered her son down the stone steps and into the vehicle. As the car pulled away from the Agreste Mansion, Adrien sat up on his knees and peered out the window at the dark imposing building, watching it fade into the distance. 

When it was no longer in view, he sat down in his seat and turned to face his mother, finally breaking his vow of silence to ask, “where are we going, Mama?” In the gloom of the limo, Emilie’s gaze met that of her son and a small smile curled her lips as she responded.

“We’re going home, Adrien.”

  
  
  
  


**Marinette: ** ** _10 Years Ago_ **

“Oh,  _ Monsieur _ Agreste… this dress is breathtaking!” Marinette Dupain-Cheng breathed, twirling around between the three full-length mirrors that stood in a semi-circle around her, giving her a full view of Gabriel Agreste’s latest design as it hugged her curves. Behind her, the designer stood and appraised his young protege with a look of satisfaction on his face. She was right. The dress  _ was _ breathtaking, and so was she. When Gabriel had met the young woman, it had been purely by accident. She was at one of his fashion shows after winning a contest he had put on for a bowler hat design. Her design had been revolutionary, managing to pique not only  _ his _ interest but that of Audrey Bourgeois. In the years since his ex-wife had kidnapped their son and seemingly disappeared off the face of the planet, Gabriel Agreste had become a bit of a recluse. He almost completely stopped designing himself, leaving it up to a team of highly skilled designers to replicate his style and pass off the designs as  _ Gabriel Originals _ , and he had ceased going out in public unless strictly necessary.

That particular day, he had only gone to the fashion show due to some fuss that Madame Bourgeois was raising, fully planning on solving her issue as quickly as possible and returning to the sanctity of his mansion. Instead, he ran into Miss Dupain-Cheng and his life was irrevocably changed that night. Young Marinette sparked something within him, a new life and muse that hadn’t been present since he was a young designer, just starting out and madly in love with a young woman by the name of Emilie Fu. Only fifteen years old, her passion and drive to make it in the world of fashion intrigued the man, and he found himself offering her an apprenticeship on the spot. There was just something  _ about _ her, he couldn’t put his finger on it. The press, of course, went wild. Particularly when Audrey Bourgeois attempted to poach the girl out from under his nose. Who was this young girl, and how had she gotten two of the biggest names in fashion fighting to make her their apprentice. Even Gabriel was surprised by the answers they found.

At fifteen, Marinette Dupain-Cheng was the daughter of Tom and Sabine Dupain-Cheng, the two most famous bakers in Europe. They owned many award-winning food establishments all across the country, had made several appearances on talk shows, and rumor had it that they were also working on their own cooking show. The Dupain-Chengs were insanely rich and one of the most influential families in all of Europe, but the real star of the Dupain-Cheng family was their young daughter. An only child, young Marinette began designing her own clothing when she was only five and rapidly developed her talent. She opened her own online Boutique at ten, under the pseudonym,  _ Ladybug _ , and had millions of followers worldwide on social media and youtube. This knowledge only cemented his desire to take her on as his student, and he soon won the girl over. From then on, young Marinette began to work closely with the designer three days a week after school, as well as two Saturdays a week.

Gabriel trained and molded the girl, helping her already exquisite designing abilities move onto the next level. In turn, the young girl inspired the designer to start designing again, and slowly he began attending more and more events at the insistence of his protege. Before long, Gabriel came to think of the young girl as a sort of daughter figure. Not a replacement for the son he lost, perse, but there was definitely a fatherly sort of affection there. It was what prompted him to make the dress now being showcased on the now nineteen-year-old’s slim frame. It was Marinette’s birthday, and Gabriel Agreste was hosting the party that her parents were throwing the young woman in his own house. The dress itself had been tailor-made with Marinette in mind. A form-fitting shift dress with a sweetheart neckline and spaghetti straps. The top of the dress was light pink, gradually darkening into a deep pink at the hem, with crystal flowers dotted about the bodice to make the dress sparkle. The dress landed at the girl’s knees and was complemented with white tights, light pink kitten heels, and a pink headband with real pink roses adorning her look midnight locks.

“You look breathtaking, my dear,” Gabriel said, and when Marinette turned and threw her arms around her, he hugged her back with an affectionate grin. After a moment, he disentangled himself from her and offered her his elbow. “Now, shall we go? We don’t want to keep your guests waiting.”

  
  


The party was in full swing and Marinette had never in her life felt happier. She was surrounded by friends and family talking, dancing and mingling in celebration of her and her accomplishments. She was wearing a gorgeous, one of a kind outfit made by the best mentor a girl could ask for, and she was with her two best friends in the whole world, Chloe and Alya. And yet, she found she couldn’t fully enjoy the moment. Most who saw her thought that Marinette Dupain-Cheng led a charmed life. The only child of wealthy parents who never hesitated to make time for their daughter. A successful online boutique that she stared when she was ten years old. A massive following on social media and the job of her dreams. A mentor, friend, and second father figure in the man that she had idolized since the moment she first understood what fashion was and decided that she wanted to design clothes that everyone would want to wear. She had the money, the looks, the job, the friends and family and yet… there was still something missing. As much as she loved her life, she felt like a caged bird, desperate to be free. It was why she had decided to leave it all behind for a life in America. Question was, could she really go through with it?

Marinette was startled out of her troubled thoughts when she became aware of someone calling her name. Refocusing on the here and now, it took everything in her not to flinch as she found everyone’s eyes trained on her. Even after years in the limelight, she hated being the center of attention. Lifting her gaze, she found her mentor, Gabriel Agreste, on the stage set up at the head of the room. With him, her parents and her Uncle Jagged smiled warmly at her. Smiling warmly, Gabriel beckoned her to join him and the crowd parted as she made her way up onto the stage. Gabriel Agreste introduced her as if they didn’t all know who she was, and the crowd roared their approval. Their attention only made her want to sink into the ground and disappear but she held herself with poise and grace, back straight and chin up, expression one of confidence and happiness. She had learned long ago that to show weakness was to invite the wolves in to devour her whole. 

To be completely honest, Marinette tuned out most of what was being said as first her parents, and then Jagged spoke their speeches in her honor. She smiled graciously, nodded and chuckled when appropriate, even teared up a bit… but her mind was elsewhere. It wasn’t until the end of Gabriel’s speech that she tuned back in, eyes widening in shock as it dawned on her just what he was saying. Gabriel Agreste wanted to make her a partner in his business. A business that he had always said he would save for if his son ever returned home to him. It was a dream come true and a younger Marinette might have jumped at the opportunity without a second thought. Now, however, she felt herself freeze. That trapped feeling swept over her once more and she just knew she couldn’t accept his author. She couldn’t remain here, trapped in this seemingly charmed life forever. The word ‘no’ escaped before she consciously decided to say it. Amid the gasps and shocked whispers starting up around the room, Marinette looked at her parents, at her Uncle Jagged, and at her mentor and shook her head, taking a step back. The words spilled forth before she could stop them, and once the floodgates had been released, there was no holding them back.

“No, I… I’m sorry but I can’t. This is everything I ever dreamed of, and I appreciate the offer, but I want more out of life and I’m afraid I can’t find that here,” she whispered, forcing her gaze to remain steady on Gabriel’s.

“Wh-what do you mean, Marinette? This is your home, your life,” Sabine Cheng said, stepping forward and drawing her daughter’s distraught gaze. Marinette shook her head fiercely.

“No, it’s not. It’s  _ your _ home and  _ your _ life. I want to find my own way… and I don’t think I can find that here in Europe,” she said, voice growing in strength as her conviction grew. “That’s why… that’s why I’ve decided to go study in America. I leave a week from tomorrow… and I don’t know when I’ll be back.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Lemme Know What You Think!


End file.
